MSc Pollution & Environmental Control / Careers

Year of entry: 2024

Career opportunities

Carissa Quintana sitting in a garden

My MSc has helped my career by opening up more opportunities to me.

Both through the competitive edge it has given to my CV and through colleagues I have met.

Carissa Quintana (MESPOM) / ESG Research Associate in MSCI
Amelia Tobin Smiling

I took a module in Earth and Environmental Consultancy which has been a huge help.

In my current role, some things really do just pop up and are required urgently, so I'm glad I had that skill before I started the job.

Amelia Tobin / Environmental Specialist - AWE

Why is a career in pollution and environmental control important?

Governments, industry and society, in all countries, are increasingly aware of the importance of securing sustainable development through cost-effective pollution controls and resource conservation.

As a result, there is a growing need, internationally, for suitably qualified personnel in the environmental authorities of central and local government, industry and commerce, consultancy and research. Moreover, the resulting legal requirements on the part of governments and industry to conform to national and international agreements and regulations means that such demand will remain even during periods of economic austerity and retrenchment.

Employers are increasingly requiring environmental science graduates to have a strong grounding in the quantitative and qualitative skills required to address environmental questions in additional to subject-specific knowledge and understanding. Our programmes address these requirements through a core of skills-based modules with the emphasis on synthesis.

Career destinations of graduates

Graduates from the MSc in Pollution and Environmental Control have been very successful in obtaining relevant environment-related employment in areas such as industry, local and central authorities, the regulatory sector, consultancies, education and research. Typically, between 20 and 30% of students completing the programme undertake postgraduate research immediately after graduation.

Our graduates go on to become: 

  • Environmental Consultants; 

  • Managing Directors and CEOs; 

  • Environmental Scientists; 

  • Professors, Researchers and Academics. 

And our graduates have secured roles with prestigious employers including: 

  • The Environment Agency; 

  • United Utilities; 

  • Jacobs; 

  • AECOM; 

  • ENVIRONS. 

We expect that graduates from the MSc in Pollution and Environmental Control will be attractive to employers in the environmental authorities of central and local government, industry and commerce, consultancy and research.